Verizon’s Minecraft video phone is equal parts creepy and fascinating [video]

Here’s your weekly dose of creepy, courtesy of YouTuber CaptainSparklez and telecoms giant Verizon. In one of the more elaborate in-game publicity stunts and advertisements we’ve ever seen, these two partners have built a working real-world video calling phone within the Mincraft universe using nothing but blocks.

The system uses Verizon’s Boxel — a web app that “translates real web pages and streaming video into blocks,” according to the company, so it can be used in Minecraft — and a Boxel Client, which allows the same communication from Minecraft to the real world.

A call placed with the phone effectively allows the receiver rendered in real time blocks within Minecraft, while the receiver will see a Minecraft avatar in return. Sure, the phone doesn’t feature a 1080p display, but it’s a seriously impressive feat nonetheless, and shows just how intricate the Minecraft universe can be.

If you like crazy in-game Minecraft mods, like this working Minecraft hard drive for instance, but it’s definitely worth a look.